Hi,

I am currently browsing around to find a new frameset.
I intend to use mechanical shifting only, not interested in electrical shifting.

I have never really seen an electrical shifting system for real so I never really witnessed how it is mounted.

I am a little confused with the frame specifications I see:

1. some state they are "ready for electrical shifting"
2. some state they are *designed* for electrical shifting (and there is another frameset from the same brand that states to be *designed* for mechanical shifting, all other specifications being identical)
3. some state nothing at all

I wouldn't worry about getting a 3. since mechanical is still the default system.
I wouldn't worry either about 1. as it only states they are "ready" for electrical.
How about 2. ? in a perfect world I wouldn't worry and get the mechanical one but there are availability differences, several months difference, so *not* discarding the electrical model and using it with mech. is quite tempting...

When I was researching road bike frames I found there wasn't much precision or consistency in the language used to describe electronic shifting support. This is especially true when shopping Chinese suppliers. The only reliable thing you can do is contact the vendor and ask if the frame you're interested in supports mechanical groupsets. FWIW, I did not find any frames that could not support mechanical shifting (even those "designed for DI2"), but that doesn't mean they're not out there.

FatBottomedGirl, I suspect that a frame made exclusively for electronic shifting won't have downtube cable housing stops. A frame that is "ready for electronic shifting" may have a dedicated mounting position for at least a battery.

Brad

Edit: I was just about to post the same thing but Brad beat me to it before I got to this tab.

Thanks, makes a lot of sense.

For electronic shifting, the front and rear derailleurs mount in the usual location. There's a small "brain" or junction box that mounts near the stem. The battery typically mounts to the downtube, basically below the bottle cage.

Electronic shifting ready usually means internal cabling and a battery mount tucked somewhere slightly hidden (such as a seat post or chainstay).

Frames that don't say anything are going to be standard.

Yeah. The derailleurs and shifters all mount the same. What differs are the cables and cable routing. You can put electronic shifting on a mechanical frame by running the electrical cables along the frame or by any convenient means. Frames intended only for electronic shifting don't have the cable stops and appropriate routing for mechanical cables so can only be set up with electronic shifting.